There was a time when men complained that their wife or girlfriend would not allow them to smoke.These days, it is not unusual for the girl to light up first, and the man to follow unsure. Many factors have contributed to a growing number of women taking to smoking - fun, an assertion of gender equality, a stress-busting habit. The focus this World Tobacco Day is all on the smoking woman, and the health hazards she faces.
Women may be striking out for equality in all walks of life, but the stress of doing so and still perform brilliantly on the home front is driving many to what is widely seen as stress buster smoking."With changing times men have not seen much of a role change, but women are not only tackling the home front but are also equally responsible professionally. This has put them under greater pressure says Sudha, a counselor with a tobacco cessation clinic, who finds that while for some women smoking begins as a style statement, the stress factor makes it a habit they find hard to get rid of.
For younger women what starts as a girly fun activity gradually becomes an addiction, say counselors, who are now coming across the disturbing trend of girls using smoking as an appetite killer, in their quest to attain a fashionable size zero? "Many girls take to smoking because they think it kills appetite. What they don't understand is that it damages their uterus, increase the risk of miscarriages, asthma in their unborn child and causes various other problems.' says Dr R, Kishore Kumar, CEO and MD, The Cradle.
The idea this World Tobacco Day is to focus on the gender issues that are leading tobacco addiction and deal with them so that women are discouraged from smoking no matter what the provocation.
"Many Women seem to be smoking since participating in a bigger number in the work force. So there is a serious need to design a campaign specifically targeting them" Says Dr Riyaz Basha, nodal officer, anti-tobacco cell, Bangalore.
He finds the trend of women smoking disturbing because they often play a key role in influencing men against use of tobacco. The fact that the anti - tobacco campaign may lose their assistance is hard to stomach for many involved in the fight against smoking.
According to DR RIYAZ BASHA - (Nodal Officer, anti tobacco cell, Bangalore) "Tobacco consumption is directly linked to anxiety and depression. A survey done on medical students of different institutes showed in the final year of the course they smoked more as a result of rising stress and anxiety levels".
STEPHEN JUNK (IVF expert from Australia and consultant at Sure Fertility) "Surprisingly seems to be on the rise in India and china compared to other parts of the world where it has been contained to certain extent. This explains the increasing problem of infertility being seen here, because nicotine causes major damage not only to the female reproduction system but also men's ability to reproduce
Dr NITI RAIZAD NARANG (Consultant Medical oncologist) “Smoking combined with increased intake of oral contraceptives makes women more vulnerable to cardio - vascular diseases. Some take to smoking to remain in shape, not realizing that it cuts down on appetite at the cost of their health”.
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